Three Keys For Jets to Upset Bills

This former Jets scout breaks down what New York needs to do in order to beat the Bills on Sunday.

Nobody is giving the Jets (5-3) much of a chance to defeat the Bills (6-1).

However, this is why they play the game and if this is why a game like this has to really scare fans of the Buffalo Bills.

Why?

Supposedly, this is a slam dunk for Buffalo.

The only problem with that line of thinking is there are no slam dunks in the National Football League. Every week we see surprises and upsets (or near upsets).

From 2002-2022 in a span of 5,757 NFL games, 46.5% of these contests were decided by eight points or less (via cleanuphitter.com). 

Will this game be decided by eight points or less?

Since Jets' General Manager Joe Douglas took over in 2019, New York has lost five out of six matchups against Buffalo and three of these have been decided by eight points or less, while three have been decided by more.

Regardless of the historical facts, just the fact alone that New York has lost most of the time against Buffalo during these past three years tells us they need to do things differently than they've done them in the past to have a shot.

Buffalo is red hot and many are picking them to represent the AFC in this year's Super Bowl.

Bills' gunslinger Josh Allen is sporting the second-highest quarterback rating in the league, and their offense is number one overall.

Their defense isn't far behind, ranking third.

So how can the Jets possibly defeat the Bills?

Here are three strategic ways:

Be more aggressive than Allen

Allen and the Bills' offense love to keep opposing defenses off-balance by mixing up the run and passing game, and they love to dictate the tempo. They love to be unpredictable and spread the ball around to every eligible receiver all over the field to keep defenses tiring out chasing their own tail.

The key here is to out-aggressive Buffalo's offensive attack. New York needs to be more aggressive defensively than they've ever been under this regime. Blitz the heck out of Allen and knock him out of comfort zone, while doing everything possible to suffocate the running lanes.

New York's defense can not afford to read and react.

Trick or Treat

It may be a few days past Halloween, but an offense filled with trick plays and sandlot football is what Jets' Offensive Coordinator Mike LaFleur and quarterback Zach Wilson do best (look at Miami game, first half last season).

Wilson is at a real crossroads in his career.

It's time to either be committed to build an offense that best fits him or move on.

Wilson does not and never has fit into a traditional structured offense. He didn't at BYU and he sure hasn't at the Jets.

This is where a coaching staff drops the egos and either learns to adapt to the strengths of their personnel or they get fired.

Make special teams special again

An extra possession or two in a game like this will spell the difference between winning and losing.

New York must get outside the proverbial box on special teams too.

A fake punt, a fake field goal, an onside kick, something, anything to keep a drive going or to get an extra possession(s).

Aggression wins in the NFL.

The last time these two teams met on January 9, 2022, Buffalo won 27-10. The Bills had 79 plays to the Jets 46.

New York has to figure out a way to even the number of plays, and the great equalizer is the third phase of the game, special teams. 

MORE:

• Jets Add Running Back to Injury Report Before Facing Bills in Week 9
• How the Jets Can Defeat Josh Allen
• Ex-Jets Scout Says New York Must Make Drastic Changes, Starting With Zach Wilson

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